WHAT

THE

HECK IS

FOURSQUARE?

AND HOW

CAN I

USE IT?

FOURSQUARE OVERVIEW: HERE’S HOW IT WORKS – FOR INDIVIDUALS1.Check in

2.Connect with Friends

3.Go after badges

4.Rack up points

FOURSQUARE – WHAT IS IT?

Foursquare is a geo-based social networking website and software for mobile devices.

Users “check in” at venues using the Foursquare website, a text message or device app. Check ins add up in the form of:

•Points – Leaderboard standings

•Badges – awarded based on:• Brand• Event• Frequency• Geography• Shouts or messages• Volume• Special purposes

•Mayorships – most frequent check-ins at a venue in a specific time period

FOURSQUARE FOR BUSINESS

Businesses can use Foursquare to engage with “mobile” customers by offering Foursquare “specials” – discounts and prizes (or badges) -- for checking in at their venues. Specifically, Mayors frequently receive special discounts. Those venues that offer specials for ANY check in can also use Foursquare venue analytics to track how they’re performing over time (for FREE).

So, to begin:

•Create Mayor Specials

•Create Check-in Specials, also Frequency and Wild-card Specials

•Promote your specials (via the Foursquare Window Cling) and on Facebook, Twitter, smartphone Apps, etc. (*SWARM* = Foursquare Flashmob)

•Foursquare Venue Plug-in on Wordpress!

Local - You’ve been at the same place 3x in one week!

FOURSQUARE VENUE STATS FOR BUSINESS

ADVANCED BUSINESS MARKETING W/FOURSQUARE1. Ask Users to Check in and Post Reviews about Your Venue –offer badges or

specials for reviews and tips to fellow users

2. Use Leaderboard Points to Support a Local Charity – assign a dollar value (for example, $.03/point accrued at that venue) and then define a time frame during which all point values will accrue toward a donation to a venue-designated charitable organization (or maybe Mayor’s choice)

3. Use the “Mayor” Status as a Perk – Venues frequently offer special discounts or “perks” for those who achieve the much-coveted status of “Mayor”

4. Use the “To Do” List – to encourage users to check in and “post” or “purchase” or “shout” (can be tied to a badge)

5. Encourage “Superusers” – able to edit company content on their business site. Some businesses worry about this. Others embrace the opportunity to get user feedback and opinion.

EXAMPLES OF CURRENT BUSINESS SPECIALS:Tat's Delicatessen (Seattle, WA)

Free Sandwich for the Mayor on the 16th of every month! This offer is good only on the specific date of the 16th, unless it falls on a closed Sunday, in which case we'll honor it on Monday the 17th.

RadioShack (SEATTLE, WA)Hi from RadioShack! Show this screen to an associate for 10% off your qualifying purchase. Mayors get 15% & Holiday Heroes get 20% off! Valid thru 12/31/10

Downtown YMCA (Seattle, WA)Show us you've become the new mayor and you'll receive a FREE month of membership! Exclusions apply. Ask associate for info.

Ryan, Swanson & Cleveland, PLLC (Seattle, WA)Free Ryan Swanson pen from Receptionist with every check-in!

WHAT’S IT TO YOU?

• It’s FUN!

• Venue descriptions are good – and frequently supplied by your pals

• It’s cool to get stuff

• It’s good to be Mayor

• Badges are neat-o!

This is a game that takes the best of social media and makes it meaningful. On Facebook you can tell your friends what you did or will do. But on Foursquare your friends will know that you’re at the Pub, and your shout tells them to “come on down!”

Also, it allows you to track your own movements (hmmm… what was the name of that great restaurant we hit last weekend? If you “checked in,” it’s in your venue list!)

Of course, it allows others to do the same…

WHAT IF YOU JUST WANT TO “WIN,” BABY? SECRETS TO BIG POINTS

Some users want to lead the Leaderboard for their City. In order to do that, they need A LOT of points. Here’s how they rack ‘em up:

•Check in.  First check in of the day is worth 1 point and each subsequent check in increments up by a point, so, 2nd check in is worth 2, 3rd is worth 3, 10th is worth 10. Obviously, if you make 30 check ins in a day, you’ll get lots of points.

•Add to the Foursquare database – you’ll receive 5 points for adding a venue.

•Sunday Night Special: The Leaderboard resets each Sunday at Midnight. BUT each check in AFTER MIDNIGHT on Sunday counts as points from Sunday’s number – however, it also counts as points on the leaderboard for Monday and the new week.  So if you check in 20 places during the day on Sunday, and after midnight, you hit a few bars and check in 5 more times.  That’s 110 points that carries over to next week’s leaderboard. 

FOURSQUARE HOLIDAY PROMOTIONS

• Holiday check-ins – stores giving away gift cards, etc. for Foursquare check-ins on Black Friday• Gap• Toys R Us• Apple• Sephora• Sports Authority

• Virgin America provides extra Elevate (Loyalty program) points to users who check-in at gates or baggage claims through the holidays

• Radio Shack created the Holiday Hero badge. Follow Radio Shack, check in at two hot spots and get 20% off your holiday shopping by showing the badge

• Lots to come…